In prosthetic components such as prosthetic hands, arm prostheses or prosthetic gripping elements, speed-changing mechanisms are provided within the prosthesis to allow not only a high gripping force but also a quick gripping movement to be realized. Such speed-changing mechanisms provide both a high increase in speed to bring gripping elements quickly into contact with the object to be gripped, and a low increase in speed to provide high gripping forces. The shift between the individual gear stages may take place in various ways. Generally, a separate gear mechanism has to be provided for a right prosthetic hand and a left prosthetic hand. Likewise, separate mechanisms are required for gripping and opening the hand. The same also applies in principle to arm prostheses, prosthetic gripping elements or other prostheses that are intended to move into a desired position quickly without using much force, while a slow and forceful movement occurs subsequently.